Pain
by Ukaisha
Summary: 3000 word Super Drabble. After Takuya magically returns from the real world and rescues his friends, the only person he needs to convince of his newfound maturity is Kouji. Concern, it turns out, is a bargaining chip.


Disclaimer: Author takes no stake or claim on any characters mentioned. Do not redistribute this story.

A/N: A 3000 word Super Drabble, my longest yet I believe. I had this sitting in my computer for months and couldn't finish it; finally I was just like "I'm bored let's finish this" and I did. My first upload of 2010; wh00t.  
Yes I am still working on my other, more important fanfics. No, "random" fanfics like this are not taking a great deal of time away from the important ones. Yes, I agree; the story is strung together very loosely and ends poorly.  
Review if you don't mind; praise, critique, positive, negative; lay it on me. I love hearing from people.

Pain

Takuya felt like a new man. Well, a new boy. His ordeal in the real world had really changed the way he felt about things, and how he handled certain situations. This one such situation was new to him.  
"Guys," he said when the rest of the group had calmed down, and had moved on to talking about what to do next, "none of us are in very good condition right now. Let's take a rest for now, alright?"  
"Rest? What do you mean rest?" complained Izumi, who was ready and raring to kick some Water-Warrior butt. "None of us are hurt badly, and us three just spent all that time hanging from a wall, resting."  
"I agree!" naturally chimed in Junpei, always quick to back up the girl. "We can keep going, at least until it gets really dark."  
"Well, I think we should listen to Takuya-onii-chan," Tomoki piped up. "I mean, he did just rescue us, and I think he knows best…"  
"Two to two, time for the tiebreaker: Kouji."  
"Hey, why aren't we voting?" Neemon drawled to no one in particular, though probably more towards Bokomon.  
"Because Takuya-han needs to prove he can be a responsible leader, jai~," his companion hissed back.

Everyone almost immediately expected Kouji to say something so matter-of-factly that it would seem like the answer should have been painfully obvious to anyone with a brain in their head. All four were expecting him to be in favor of moving on, to cover as much ground as possible. However, for a few, long seconds, he was silent.  
"Kouji?" Takuya asked, this time concerned. All of them stared at him; he almost looked like he was hugging himself, and trying to hide it.  
"Let's stop, alright?" This answer blew everyone away.  
"Are you sure?" asked Junpei, reluctant to disagree with his rescuer as reluctant as he was to disagree with his crush.  
"Yeah…some of us are hurt. Let's regain our strength."  
"That settles it guys- we're chilling out."  
"Oh yeah…it IS still snowing, huh…?" Bokomon snapped Neemon's waistband.  
"Bakamon."

Kouji had come to be an integrated part of the group. It was almost as though they'd never been without him, and they'd long since grown used to his awkwardness and his lonesome tendencies. However, this was something different. Though Kouji sometimes sat away from them, he was always active in conversation, and he never acted as though by moving away from the group, he was no longer part of it.  
Now, as he settled himself against an obelisk, he seemed determined to either forget he was there, or the others were near him. He was still hugging himself, and he had a tired expression on his face.  
Why on earth would he be acting like that?  
The others wanted to nitpick through Takuya's story and figure out what had driven him to suddenly be so responsible, but Takuya strictly insisted on rest, however they could take it, whether it be on cold, wet ground or hard, rough stone.  
"Get a few hours of sleep," he urged. "We need to be at least a little refreshed when we meet the other Warriors again."

While Kouji ordinarily would have spoken up about finding more appropriate shelter and perhaps food, he remained silent. He was still looking away from them, pretending they were not there.  
This was so perversely wrong that Takuya almost wanted to start chiding him for being so out of character, but the new Takuya was more aware, and less eager to start a fight. He realized that whatever was wrong with Kouji, it was private.  
The rest of the group agreed to take one small rest break; a little catch-up for sleep. They were all so exhausted from their ordeals that they dozed off within a few minutes of the decision, despite a few half-hearted protests complaining that they weren't actually tired enough to sleep.  
Kouji remained his own entity, still hugging himself. He glanced over at Takuya a few times, waiting for him to fall asleep as well.  
Takuya ordinarily might have just passed out and let his comrade do his own thing; Kouji's business was Kouji's business. However, the new Takuya was too concerned to just let him be.  
He scooted closer to his antisocial friend, who continued to ignore him.

"Hey, Kouji…" The boy let out a weak grunt to acknowledge him. "Listen, about what happened before…you know, that was my bad." He shook his head. "Man, that's not nearly enough of an apology. It was completely my fault. Completely. I can't even tell you how much it tortured me to think I'd caused your death."  
"Oh, I'm not mad about that or anything." Takuya was really surprised now. He'd been expecting another lecture, or a speech, or SOMETHING. Not just a dismissal, like Kouji was impatient to end this conversation as soon as possible.  
"But…it was all my fault. I almost got you killed, and the others, and I almost left you guys…"  
"It's fine, Takuya. Go to sleep."  
"It's not fine, man! What's wrong with you all of a sudden? If you're angry at me, don't lie; just say it! Don't totally become an introvert or anything again!"

Kouji scowled, and he was hugging himself tighter. He coughed.  
"Stop being so loud," was all he said in response. And to his surprise, Takuya suddenly lowered his voice, taking the request to heart.  
"Man, what's wrong with you? You're acting like…I don't know…like you…"  
"I was hurt, you know."  
"Aha, so you are mad at me. Go ahead: lecture me. I know it'll make you feel better, and I really deserve it. I was stupid."  
"I'm still hurt." Kouji opened his arms just a little bit. For the first time, Takuya realized that on his stomach, against spring green, there was crimson red blooming.  
"You're bleeding!" he whispered in horror. Had Kouji REALLY been that badly hurt?  
"I have stamina. Endurance. I can keep going even if it hurts. But…I don't even think you guys recognize it. I'm almost slashed apart by Duskmon, and then I have to single-handedly fight two super-powerful elemental Warriors? Are you kidding?" Kouji was holding onto his stomach tighter. A flash, a soft flicker of pain interrupted his cool, collected face for just a moment, and it was gone.  
"I'm sorry…I had no idea. Had I known…"  
"It's fine. I'm not in very much pain."  
"Like hell you aren't. Let me see."  
"There's nothing you can do."  
"Let me see, damnit. You're not doing yourself any favors by being the stoic, silent hero."

Kouji gaped at him as he pulled off his jacket, and tossed it aside. He continued to be amazed that Takuya was so concerned, enough to force him to take off his shirt, and taking in so much responsibility for something that wasn't entirely, completely, his fault.  
"I'm sure it'll be okay."  
Kouji rolled his eyes. "I could've told you that."  
"I guess the injuries you sustained are more internal, right? You just happened to get hurt while in human form too, cut or something, and it didn't help you were getting your ass kicked while Wolfmon…"  
"Could've also told you that. It's not that bad." None the less, Kouji winced in pain as Takuya tried to touch his stomach, and then he hissed when he tried to push on it with the shirt, to stop the bleeding.  
"Stop playing doctor, Takuya. You can't help."  
"I really have changed, you know," he returned quietly. He wiped away more of the blood, and held down on the wound, much to Kouji's annoyance.  
"What made you so responsible all of a sudden?" he growled as he tried to silently take the pain, pretending it didn't exist. He had a high tolerance for pain, so this really was nothing. Really. It just…man, it did hurt kind of badly.  
"I just figured out a few important things. I have you to thank for that. I need to repay you somehow."  
"Don't repay me for anything; I didn't do anything. And what exactly did you find out?"  
"Plus, you're my responsibility, remember? You're a part of 'the group' too, right? When you tell me to look out for 'the group,' I'm sorry to say that includes you, buddy."  
"Yeah, right. What was important that you found out?"

Both boys were quiet; when Takuya didn't reply, Kouji didn't have the heart to ask again. He still struggled not to show he was in any pain at all, even if he felt beat up in a hundred different places.  
"I wish we had some water or something to clean this with." Takuya glanced down at the ground. "Snow?"  
"Is too freaking cold. And is snow, in case you didn't notice."  
Takuya finally released his hand from the wound. There was a thin layer of red marking his palm, emphasizing the print, emphasizing just how severe the injury really was.  
"I'll be right back."  
"Whatever."  
Kouji settled back against the hard stone again as Takuya left him. He closed his eyes and took a steady breath, trying not to think about his injuries. He'd had worse; these would definitely heal in no time. He felt belt up all over, but it was all really nothing. Honestly, he was more worried about his shirt.  
Even with Kouji's eyes closed, he still noticed that brilliant flash of light, and he heard Takuya's passionate cry as he Spirit Evolved. What was the point of that…? He heard him beating on something hard, rock or something, and it was so annoyingly loud. Freaking Takuya was always so darn LOUD. Ugh, he was so tired…

"Kouji?" Kouji forced his eyes open, even though they felt glued shut. Takuya had already de-evolved; he was missing few minutes, apparently.  
"What?" he grunted.  
"Here- I boiled some snow."  
"How…?" Kouji looked down; in Takuya's hand was a crude bowl filled with steaming hot water. He looked to his left; on the rock platform where Takuya had apparently crafted this bowl was another, this one soaking his shirt.  
"Why?"  
"I suppose now you'll ask me who, when, and where? Now we can clean the wound so it won't get infected." That wasn't the answer he was looking for with his "why," but Kouji didn't pursue another.

Kouji could have done it all himself, but Takuya forced him to stay still. Kouji hissed in agony as the scalding hot water ran down his chest and stomach, but it actually felt kind of good on his wound; also a little soothing on his abused muscles. He was reminded of just how badly he wanted to take a bath.  
"Feeling a little better?"  
"Yeah, I guess." Takuya put the bowl down and inspected his wound again, carefully.  
"I guess it's stopped bleeding." The brunet sighed in relief. "Good, I wasn't sure what we were gonna do if it kept going."  
Kouji shrugged. "I can do the rest myself now."  
"No, it's fine. Sit there." Kouji scowled.  
"I'm not a baby, and I'm not gravely injured. I don't need you to take care of me like you're my mother."  
"Humor me, Kouji. Maybe this is my way of trying to make it up to you." The other boy was still not amused, but he conceded; he was content sitting by as someone else cared for him. He knew how painful it would be to get up again after sitting still for all this time, so he was putting it off as long as he could.

Takuya returned with a few old bandages, and Kouji didn't need to wonder where he'd gotten them. He knew Bokomon could definitely fit interesting things in his haramaki, and wouldn't say a word to anyone about the minor injury. Since Kouji was already as disinfected as he would get, Takuya pulled him forward, and carefully began wrapping around his stomach.  
Kouji said nothing.  
"Is that too tight?" Takuya asked, and Kouji stiffly shook his head. The brunet pulled the bandages tight, and then tied the ends. Kouji was officially mended, as best as Takuya could do, anyway.  
"Thank you," Kouji muttered. "...For all that."  
"Hey, no problem. Let me see if the stain came out of your shirt any…"

Kouji put a hand over his wrapped wound and rubbed it gently. The pain was minimal now, at least in the wounded area; he still felt bruised in a hundred other places. He sighed; he was relieved Takuya had helped him do all that so that the others wouldn't have to see. He would give his life for his friends, for sure, but he didn't want them to see just how literally he would take that statement. He'd rather them think he was invincible; that he could never get hurt, that he could never die.  
While ordinarily he might've been concerned about Takuya of all people having to keep this secret, (being the loud mouth that he was) now he didn't mind. He didn't know how or why, but something really happened to change Takuya, and it was definitely for the better.  
"Takuya?" The brunet had been about to speak as he held up his friend's nearly ruined shirt, but he closed his mouth.  
"Yeah?"  
"What the hell HAPPENED to you, exactly?" Takuya grinned.  
"I lived a real life nightmare," he told him. "It sucked. And it's all because I couldn't face up to my responsibilities. I had to get it nailed into my head that I have responsibilities when I'm in this world with you guys, and it's not possible for me to escape them. I'm not running from those things anymore, not when it's my duty to take care of you."  
"Ordinarily I'd be terrified at the idea of _you_ taking care of _us_."  
Takuya threw Kouji's shirt in his face.  
"But right now, I think we're pretty lucky," he finished as he yanked his shirt down. He scowled at it. "Well, that's not obvious at all."  
"It's pink, so it's not as noticeable," Takuya offered helpfully.  
"Great," he replied dryly. In the end he decided to pull it back over his head backwards, which came up a little high on his neck, but wasn't painfully noticeable. At least his jacket could hide the stain. Even though the shirt was wet, he was enjoying the warmth that crept through his body because of it.  
"Thanks," he muttered again.  
"No problem."

Takuya was about to push himself up and leave, but Kouji stopped him.  
"One last thing, about Duskmon…" He saw that a chill visibly crept up his friend's spine at the name.  
"Yeah?"  
"You're right. What you just said applies to that situation, too. You can't just always just run from something like that. Duskmon was a problem we knew we'd have to face sooner or later, and it was no good on my part to suggest we should run, run, run, and never look back."  
"But you've got to be smart about how you handle it, or you might as well have kept running or worse, have done nothing at all," Takuya finished for him.  
"Precisely."  
"I'll let you handle the whole 'being smart' thing for me. I do in fact need you for something other than just breaking ties within the group."  
"And I'll let you decide when we can fight and when we should fight. I'll take it from there. I need you for something besides being an object to bitch at." Takuya actually laughed at this and punched Kouji's shoulder, lightly, though he still cringed in pain at the action.  
"You're alright, Kouji. I'm glad I came back."  
"Came back from where?" he replied almost offhandedly. Takuya, who had not flat out told anyone he had abandoned everyone for the real world, pulled a total blank moment, not sure what to say.  
"Well, I just…it doesn't matter, right? I'm here and things are going to be better from now on." Kouji, who was well aware at this point when Takuya lied, was glaring at him. "What…? Come on; that was like forever ago. The point is I'm here now."  
"Where DID you disappear to…?" he began to ask, sounding a lot sterner.  
"And nap time is over, gang!" he yelled loudly, stirring every last person and Digimon within several yards from any fitful sleep they may have found. "Let's get a move on! There's ass to kick, food to eat, and nicer places to sleep! Chop chop!"  
"Takuya," he began with a growl. Before he could continue, he was interrupted by a score of complaints from the others about the most unpleasant wake-up call ever, not to mention assurances that it hadn't even been an hour, even though it had, and they should have a little more time to sleep.

Takuya found himself too busy to be questioned again by Kouji, and in time, he even forgot that he wanted to ask in the first place. The moment was lost and the adventure went on. However, in the many coming battles that would interrupt the adventure, Kouji would occasionally experience pain, and his memory would have a sudden flashback; not just of Takuya aiding him, but more the question he wanted to ask, and he would think to himself, "where were you?"  
Pain came a lot in the Digital World, as all sorts of pain are infamous for appearing right in the middle of battle, and it was frequently, since he'd come to associate the pain with the memory, he would mentally say, "where were you," whenever he experienced even the briefest second of pain.  
And after a while, as battle progressed from a soldier cooperating now and then with others to a partnership, a tag-team effort between him and Takuya, the thought evolved to a more specific, "where ARE you," whenever Kouji was in pain.

And more often than not, Kouji would realize later on, whenever he thought to himself, "where are you," Takuya would appear, and the pain would usually stop.


End file.
